Rio Tinto and China’s State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) Qiyuan have launched a trial of battery swap electric haul truck technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia. This is the miner’s first use of battery swap electric haul trucks in surface mining operations.
Battery swapping technology allows the battery of an electric mining truck to be replaced at a battery swap station in less than seven minutes, without the need to charge the vehicle at a fixed charging facility. This minimises downtime and improves equipment efficiency.
“The launch of this trial with SPIC Qiyuan is an important milestone, harnessing China’s widely used and leading battery swap technology in a partnership that supports Rio Tinto’s drive to accelerate low-carbon innovation. The rapid deployment and fast-tracked operational learnings have highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing low-emission haulage alternatives for our business,” Rio Tinto General Manager Global Equipment and Diesel Transition Ben Woffenden said.
“By working with partners such as SPIC Qiyuan and Tonly, Rio Tinto is rapidly identifying and adopting cost-effective, proven innovations that can support operational excellence and advance decarbonisation goals.”
Over the last year, Rio Tinto and SPIC Qiyuan have delivered and installed a fleet of eight 91-tonne Tonly trucks, together with 13 batteries (each 800 kWh), a battery swapping station, static charger, and supporting infrastructure. The trucks will now be used by Oyu Tolgoi for tailings dam construction and top soil transportation tasks, providing Rio Tinto with hands-on experience operating and maintaining a complete battery electric truck and swap charging system.
The equipment will be tested through to the end of 2026 and will help Rio Tinto identify opportunities for wider adoption of this low-emission technology across the company. Rio Tinto’s global fleet of 700 haul trucks includes about 100 small or medium class (100-200t payload) vehicles, offering the potential to adopt current-generation battery swap technology.
Source: Rio Tinto